[2] The surrounding area had traditional industries of coal and ironstone mining, which remained small in scale until the opening of a branch from the Cromford Canal in 1793 gave impetus to the construction of iron furnaces.

In 1800 Derby ironfounders Thomas Saxelby, James Oakes and Forrester opened the Riddings Iron Works.

Oakes became sole owner of the Iron Works in 1818 with the purchase of Forrester's shares (Saxelbye having sold up in 1808).

Throughout the nineteenth century Oakes and his family expanded their industrial holdings to include several local collieries.

By-products of gas production were used to produce tar, sulphuric acid and other chemicals; local supplies of clay were fired to make bricks and pipes.

In addition to their family home of Riddings House these contributions included a substantial part of the parish church of St James (1833) and the National School of 1845.

[4][5][6] Riddings has adequate shopping facilities and modern housing developments have extended on all sides of the village.

[7] The village has six public houses: the Red Lion, the Greenhill, the Queens Head, the Newlands Inn (destroyed by fire in 2011), the Moulders Arms and the Seven Stars.

These were built in a yard (grid reference SK424531) on Greenhill Lane in 1870[8] or 1877, possibly on the site of a post mill advertised for sale in 1829.

In the winter of 1949 Deosan contracted an Alfreton scrap dealer to remove most of the metal from the mills, including the windshafts, in preparation for the installation of working plant.

In the early morning of Tuesday 29 January 1963 a fire started in Sarah, gutting the mill and destroying nearby storage sheds.